Deciding to go on a cruise is exciting! Packing for it can be very overwhelming… especially when you are committed to packing in a carry-on only and not checking a bag. Amanda recently went on a European cruise to Spain and Italy and is sharing her 7 night Mediterranean Cruise Packing List.
Amanda had been on two cruises prior, once for a week in the Caribbean and a second for a week in Alaska. Both of those cruises she checked a bag and had a carry-on. Since then, she has become a strict carry-on only traveler.
She packed carry-on only for her trip to England, Netherlands, and Paris in 2023 plus her trip to Scotland in 2024. All of those trips were 2 weeks long, so she felt like she could accomplish it for a cruise too. This was her first cruise packing minimally and honestly… it was stressful! But, we are hoping this list saves you from spending all of the hours Amanda spent researching, planning and strategizing to prep for this trip!
There are A LOT of cruise packing lists out there sharing what you MUST HAVE on a cruise. In our opinion, some of the items on their lists aren’t actually necessary – at least for us. Everything, and we mean everything, on this packing list for a 7 night cruise are things that Amanda ACTUALLY packed and used on her trip. We pride ourselves in sharing actually helpful travel tips and being authentic in our experiences – and packing lists are no different!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That means at no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission from your purchase which will go toward bringing you more travel tips, tricks, and tidbits.
The Set Up
Amanda traveled with the TravelPro Maxlite Air carry on bag and the Bagsmart Weekender Bag for her personal item. She also uses a hanging toiletry bag, compression packing cubes, as well as standard packing cubes for maximum efficiency when traveling!
Electronics
Cruise Approved Extension Cord – On most cruise lines (especially budget cruise lines) there is only 1 outlet in the room. 2 if you are lucky! For this reason, packing an extension cord is important to ensure you can plug in most of your electronics at the same time and obviously extend the reach.
This one has 3 standard ports, 2 USB A ports and 2 USB C port options. Make sure the extension cord you are packing is approved – not all are and the cruise lines are picky!
Travel Adapter – A lot of newer ships have US and European outlets. But, if you are traveling in the day before and/or after your cruise and will need an adapter for the hotel. Also, if you bring the adapter you can maximize the outlets in your cruise room and take advantage of the European outlets too!
Iphone Charger – we like the 6ft cord ones for optimal comfort while charging (hellooo laying in bed and doom scrolling).
Power Bank – This is SO HELPFUL to have when you are exploring for 10+ hours a day taking photos, using navigation apps, accessing e-tickets etc. This one charges your phone quickly and is very easy to carry around with you. Amanda has also used this one on her trip to Northern Ireland and at festivals in the US.
If you have one of the newer magsafe phones, we highly recommend getting a magnetic portable charger so you don’t have to worry about fooling with cords while you’re on the go!
Airfly – This isn’t something needed for your cruise, but this is a must have if you are flying to your cruise port. Kayla got this for Amanda for her birthday and she has taken it on every flight since.
It really makes a difference when traveling with others and you are the unlucky soul in the middle or aisle seats having to get up when the window and middle seat people need to use the restroom or stretch their legs. No more pausing your show or getting headphones tangled!
Make sure you charge it before your first flight! Kayla learned the hard way that you have to charge it before the first use and didn’t get to use it at all the first flight she took with it.
Travel Fan – If you are someone who needs a fan to help you sleep, then this is a great one! We’ve had it for years and have taken it on multiple trips. It’s been a reliable option!
Personal Fan – Europe is famously known for not having AC like the US does. We highly suggest taking a little something to cool off or add some airflow for train rides, at restaurants, walking around, etc. This one is small yet mighty! It’s incredible what a little quick airflow can do to boost your mood when traveling.
Clothing
When making your packing list for a 7 night cruise, it is important to keep in mind the number of days at sea your itinerary has, the weather at the ports you’ll be visiting, and any excursions you have planned.
You should also take formal nights into consideration. Cruises typically have 1 for cruises under 4 nights and up to 2 on cruises 5+ nights. It can be difficult to know which exact nights it will be prior to your cruise, but it will be noted for you once you arrive onboard. All of this impacts how and what you should put on your packing list for a 7 night cruise – so keep it in mind when preparing.
The below list is what Amanda packed for her recent 7 night cruise to Italy and Spain:
Wrinkle Release Spray – There will not be any steamers or clothing irons in your cabin (they are not permitted onboard the ship, so don’t try to be sneaky). You can either pay for the dry cleaning service onboard, or give this stuff a shot!
Amanda has used it on multiple trips and it mostly works great. It works better on certain fabrics, but usually gets the majority of wrinkles out. Amanda will unpack on day 1 and spray all of her clothes that need it when she hangs them up so they have plenty of time to de-wrinkle and possibly have time for extra spraying.
Allbirds – These are Amanda’s fav walking shoes that she has worn on her last few European trips. They also double as her everyday sneaker at home. While they aren’t as white as they once were, they are forever comfortable with all the needed support.
Birkenstock Sandals – These might not be the cutest sandals, but they are the only sandal Amanda has been able to walk miles in while traveling and not get blisters or sore feet from a lack of support.
Don’t forget to pack a shoe for your formal night outfit!
Crossbody Bag – This is Amanda’s fav crossbody bag that she used on our annual bestie trip to Edinburgh and is a must have to pack on all trips! It might be small, but it can hold multiple cards, your phone, power bank, mini fan, hand sanitizer, and chapstick without getting too bulky!
Tide To Go Pen – because spills happen, and we are trying to avoid paying for laundry service!
Body Glide Anti-Chafe Stick – IYKYK! We’ve found this will last 2-3 hours in hot temps before needing to reapply. When you aren’t wearing pants or shorts that are long enough to protect your inner thighs, this is a must have item.
Compression Socks – These are a personal must have for international / long flights. Wearing compression socks on long flights helps improve circulation, reduces swelling, and helps prevent blood clots from forming.
Amanda will put them on either right before or at the beginning of the flight, and take them off right after exiting the plane upon landing. She finds them fairly uncomfortable to wear more than that, but Kayla has accidentally worn them the entire first day exploring the city after getting off the plane!
Tops – If you are making a packing list for a 7 night cruise, we recommend packing 5-7 tops. Ideally, most (if not all) of your tops should be able to pair with the majority of your bottoms. This maximizes the number of outfits you can create while not repeating too many exact outfits.
Some of Amanda’s go-tos are: short sleeve boxy crop top, Old Navy EveryWear Tee, C9 Champion Tank Top, White One Shoulder Tank. Again, the key to packing light here is being able to mix and match your tops with your bottoms – so choosing mostly basics with one or two pops of fun is Amanda’s fav way to pack.
Bottoms – We suggest packing 4-6 bottoms. Some of Amanda’s favorites are: cargo joggers, linen pants, and lounge shorts. Again, most of these should be able to match most of your tops (and bonus points if they also match most of your shoes!). They’re also lightweight, so it’s a win win!
Dresses – If you are the dress loving type, then we suggest packing 3-4 dresses. These are some of Amanda’s favs – Smocked Waist Midi Dress, Floral Midi Dress, Midi Knit Dress.
Kayla’s favorite outfit that she’s bought for cruises and beach vacations is this 2 piece cropped smock top and high waisted skirt. It comes in so many fun colors and patterns!
If you bring more dresses that can be worn for day time looks, then the number of tops and bottoms can be lowered and vice versa – the less dresses, the more tops/bottoms or jumpsuits you may need.
Swimsuits – like this one piece or this bikini. Amanda really loves the Cupshe brand. Every swimsuit she’s gotten from them lasts for years. For example, the linked bikini has lasted two years and is still going strong! We recommend packing a minimum of 2 swimsuits, so that one can be drying while you use the second.
Black Jumpsuit – This is incredibly soft & soooo comfortable! And it has pockets! Amanda did have to get it hemmed because she is only 5’2, but after that it fits like a glove. We love an outfit that can be dressed up or down!
Odds & Ends
Liquid IV – Whether you will be drinking or not, this is a must. While traveling you don’t typically drink the same amount of liquids as you do at home for various reasons. However, being dehydrated can truly impact your health and energy to keep exploring – using these will help keep you on the up and up!
Alani Drink Mix – Alani is a wellness brand that offers a few different products, one of them famously being energy drinks. Amanda is truly obsessed with this specific brand (namely the Cosmic Stardust, Breezeberry, and Hawaiian Shaved Ice flavors), so taking the energy mixes on trips where she won’t have access to the liquid drinks is a personal must.
While these aren’t an everyday drink at home (hellooo morning coffee), these are GREAT to have on hand when travel logistics may force you to skip coffee for whatever reason or you need a midday pick me up to keep going.
Alani Protein Bars – It’s great to travel with a snacks just in case you need something quick while on the go and either don’t have time to stop and search for a snack or don’t want to pay the hiked prices in airports, train stations, and touristy areas.
Ziploc Bags – A truly multifunctional solution and highly underrated! Want to save some snacks for later? Ziploc bag. Need something to throw a wet bikini in? Ziploc bag. Need to waterproof your phone really quickly? Ziploc bag.
You can also go the reusable route too – they work just as well! We personally use both simultaneously – and you’ll need at least 1 for your liquids at most European airports, so don’t forget that! We typically travel with a couple of gallon sized bags & a couple of quart sized ones (you’ll need 1 quart size for your liquids for the airport).
Ziploc bags also made our list of beach essentials for toddlers and babies. If there is are any accidents or massive spills when you don’t have access to a trashcan, they make for a simple cleanup solution to stash in your day bag until you can properly dispose of the mess.
Waterproof Phone Case – This is especially helpful if you will be doing an excursion around water because you will likely want to be taking photos or videos!
Collapsible Water Bottle – This is great to bring with you for the cruise ports. It’s somewhat known that Americans REALLY love water bottles and are accustomed to carrying them around during the day. This is not the norm in other countries, so having something that is collapsible (just look how flat it gets!) but can hold about 2 glasses of water is perfection.
Lysol Travel Wipes – It never hurts to wipe everything down on the plane or in the cabin to make sure its clean!
Infiniti Pro Hair Dryer + Diffuser – Amanda has been using this for a little over a year, and it works great!
Travel Size Lint Roller – If you have pets that shed, it’s key to travel with a mini lint roller to get rid of the pet hair thats inevitably still on your clothes despite your pets being at home.
Tissue Packets – You never know when you might need a tissue, and public restrooms don’t always have toilet paper, so this is a multi-use solution.
Toiletry Bag Essentials
Reef Safe Sunscreen – Self explanatory, avoid getting sunburned!
Neutrogena Sun Rescue – To help with your sunburn if you are unlucky enough to get one.
SPF Chapstick – Your lips deserve protection too!
Reusable Containers – Honestly, this is our preference on trips! Sometimes your fav products don’t come in travel size, and limiting single use plastics where we can is a definite bonus. These are so easy to use, don’t take up much space, and are genuinely great!
We typically end up using (insert number of bottles) for our liquids – but this number will depend on what all you need to bring with you. Amanda has curly hair, so she requires a little bit of extra hair products, IYKYK.
Hair Care – Not Your Mothers Travel Set (This is one of Amanda’s fav hair product brands so traveling with these little items really makes or breaks a good hair day), scrunchies, elastic hair ties, claw clips, bobby pins, hairbrush – Amanda has curly hair, so she uses a denman hairbrush.
Makeup – Tower 28 Tinted Sunscreen, Fenty Contour Stick, NYX Blush Duo, Gxve Beauty Mascara, your fav eyeshadow palette, Benefit Setting Spray, ELF Cleansing Balm. This of course should be customized to what you prefer to use, but Amanda likes to keep it very basic and minimal & doesn’t typically use too many makeup products.
Lume Whole Body Deodorant – Amanda packs this in addition to her usual deodorant. She uses this on especially warm days outside on all the other parts of her body where normal deodorant doesn’t go. It really helps you feel fresh, clean, and minimally smelly all day!
Mini First Aid Kit – For any small scrapes you may get. It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it! Don’t forget, there is also an infirmary on all cruise ships and the gift shops usually have some over the counter items.
Medications – Dramamine (in case you get see sick!) Pepto Bismol (in case you get an upset stomach trying new food or drinks!), Advil / your preferred pain reliever medication and basic cold & flu medication. These should cover most situations that come up while traveling – and worst case you can always pick up needed medication on the ship or in port.
Poo-Pourri – The cabins are small, so be kind to your travel buddies.
Jewelry Organizer – This one doesn’t take up much space but holds a surprising amount of jewelry.
Travel Size Perfume – If you want to travel with your favorite perfume, check to see if they make a travel size one like this one or you can buy a refillable perfume spritzer to take with you.
Don’t forget your toothbrush & toothpaste, deodorant, and razor!
Wallet
Passport – PLEASE do not forget your passport! You don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a trip only to forget the one document that allows you to go on it.
Driver’s License – If you book excursions where you will be driving a vehicle (even one like an ATV), you may be asked to provide a valid driver’s license. Take it along just in case!
Credit Card You Booked Purchases With – Sometimes, businesses request to see the credit card you made the reservation with. Bring it along just in case!
Tour Confirmations / Receipts – We book the vast majority of our excursions through Viator and Get Your Guide. For Amanda’s Mediterranean cruise, she booked a food tour in Rome, and an ATVing+Cliff Jumping+Snorkeling adventure in Palma De Mallorca, Spain! We highly recommend checking out their options when looking for things to do around the world.
If you need help on where to start to plan an international trip – check out our Guide to Planning an International Trip!
Is there anything that we missed in our packing list for a 7 night cruise? Let us know in the comments!
Save to Pinterest
Other Posts You May Enjoy
- Must Have Road Trip Items for Children
- Packing List for a 7 Night Cruise (in a Carry-On!)
- 9 Ways to Get Your Kids Excited For A Trip to London
- 10 Ways to Travel Without Leaving Your House
- Celebrate Earth Day with Destinations that Showcase Earth’s Beauty
- 10 Beach Essentials For Babies and Toddlers
